Joe Pass

Joe Pass accomplished what few guitarists could envision, delivering brisk, unaccompanied renditions of complex bop pieces including “Cherokee” and “How High the Moon.” His approach relied on traditional yet flawless execution rather than the tapping methods associated with Stanley Jordan, and the resulting Virtuoso recordings issued by Pablo continue to impress listeners many years afterward.

Early opportunities proved fleeting. Before finishing high school he worked in swing ensembles, among them Tony Pastor’s band, and spent part of 1947 alongside Charlie Barnet. Military service was followed by a period of addiction that led to incarceration and the loss of roughly ten years. A 1962 album made at Synanon marked his return; the set For Django attracted notice, additional sessions appeared on Pacific Jazz and World Pacific, and he collaborated with Gerald Wilson, Les McCann, George Shearing, and, in 1973, Benny Goodman.

For the most part he stayed out of the spotlight in Los Angeles until Norman Granz brought him to Pablo. The 1973 release Virtuoso established his reputation, after which he recorded extensively for the label—solo, in small ensembles, in duo projects with Ella Fitzgerald, and alongside Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, and Dizzy Gillespie. Pass maintained a full schedule until his death from cancer.